Sandy City Planning Commission Meeting - July 17, 2025
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Sandy City Planning Commission Meeting - July 17, 2025
The Sandy City Planning Commission held a public hearing and two public meetings on July 17, 2025, beginning at approximately 1:15 PM. The commission considered a rezone request for an adult daycare, reaffirmed a commercial plat amendment, and approved a preliminary site plan for a new Smith's Fuel Center. Chair Ron Mortimer presided, and the meeting included staff presentations, applicant testimony, public comments, and unanimous votes on all items.
Public Hearing: Empowering You Rezone
- Proposal: Rezone 11339 South 700 East from Convenience Commercial (CVC) to Professional Office (PO) to allow an adult daycare for adults with developmental disabilities (ages 18–60), initially serving 10–15 participants, with a maximum of 25–30. The applicant, Jane Talfa and Peter Brown, emphasized no evening or weekend activities, small van transportation, and indoor therapeutic programs.
- Staff: Jake Warner, Long-Range Planning Manager, explained the legislative nature and noted that the PO zone is more compatible with adjacent residential uses.
- Public comment: Morgan Bush (11304 Dry Stone) spoke in favor, citing consistency with the neighborhood and community benefit. Trisha Endersby (1420 East Fire Lightway) expressed concern about a potential bait-and-switch if the project fails, as the rezone is not tied exclusively to this use. Steve Van Maren (Draper) asked if the facility is on the first floor (confirmed yes).
- Outcome: The commission voted unanimously (8–0) to forward a positive recommendation to the city council.
Public Meeting: Alta View Commercial Plat Amendment (Lots 3 & 4)
- Proposal: Reaffirmation of a 2001 subdivision amendment to create two new lots from Lot 3 (for a future gas station and a pad site for temporary uses) and extend Lot 4 (dental office) to the street. The original approval expires September 2025, so staff requested reapproval to allow recording.
- Staff: Doug Willwright, Development Services Manager, presented the changes.
- Public comment: Trisha Endersby asked about the planned uses for the two new lots. Paul Gadot clarified he would speak on the next item. No opposition.
- Outcome: The commission voted unanimously to reapprove the preliminary subdivision amendment.
Public Meeting: Smith's Fuel Center Preliminary Site Plan
- Proposal: A new Smith's fuel center on a new lot (Lot 6) in the southwest corner of the Alta View Shopping Center (10305 South 1300 East). The plan includes a 24/7 fuel station with a kiosk and canopy, a new driveway and traffic signal on 1300 East, removal of 23 trees (8 for regrading, 5 for driveway, 1 for ADA ramp, 9 dead/dying), and a request for a 10% reduction in required parking (from 867 to 783 stalls, justified by ITE standards and on-site counts).
- Staff: Doug Willwright and Brittany Ward (Transportation Engineer) presented. The traffic signal is a high-T intersection allowing southbound traffic to proceed without stopping, while northbound traffic stops for left turns. The existing Seagullilly Drive accesses remain unchanged, but a future raised median may be installed to improve safety, though that is not part of this proposal.
- Public comment: A resident (10209 South Walksley Road) objected to adding a stoplight and restricting access, fearing increased congestion. Paul Gadot (10359 Eagle Cliff Way) urged the city to use the opportunity to fix the dangerous Seagullilly/1300 East intersection, noting its poor safety record. Parker Cross (10368 South Serpentine Circle) welcomed the new signal but opposed overnight fuel truck noise due to the elevated grade near his home. Steve Van Maren asked if the left turn into Smith's from Seagullilly would be closed (no, it remains open for now).
- Commission discussion: Members raised concerns about light pollution from the fuel pad affecting homes west of 1300 East. Staff noted the existing London Plane trees provide screening in summer but less in winter. The commission decided to add a condition requiring staff to study light distribution and propose mitigation (landscaping, walls) during final review.
- Outcome: The commission voted unanimously to approve the preliminary site plan, the 10% parking reduction, and the off-site traffic improvements (traffic signal), with the addition of Condition 5: Perform a light distribution analysis and mitigate direct lighting to properties west of 1300 East. Staff’s Recommendation 4 (future study of Seagullilly Drive) was eliminated.
Administrative Business
- Election of Chair and Vice Chair: Dave Bromley was elected Chair and Danny Schoenfeld Vice Chair for the upcoming term. Both will assume roles next month.
- Minutes Approval: The commission approved the minutes of the previous meeting with a minor wording clarification regarding the Sensitive Overlay special exception condition about vegetation establishment.
Key Outcomes
- Empowering You Rezone: Unanimous positive recommendation to the city council.
- Alta View Plat Amendment: Reapproved unanimously.
- Smith's Fuel Center: Preliminary site plan approved with conditions (including light analysis) and elimination of Recommendation 4.
- New Leadership: Chair Dave Bromley and Vice Chair Danny Schoenfeld elected.
Meeting Transcript
We'd like to welcome everybody to the uh Sandy City Planning Commission meeting tonight. And we're going to begin with a pledge. So if you'll all please stand and repeat after me. I pledge allegiance to the flag of United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands. One nation under liberty and justice for all. Thank you very much. We'll uh go ahead now and introduce the uh planning commission and staff. We'll start with Ron. Hello, Ron Mortimer. Jennifer George. Danny Schoenfeld. David Hart. Cameron Duncan, Dave Bromley, Steve Wrigley. Go ahead. My name is James Sorrens from the community development director. Here we have Jake Warner, Long Range Planning Manager, Brittany Ward. If you all just kind of raise your hand real quick, those with staff, assistant public works director, Doug Wilwright is the development services manager. Travis Ackerman is assistant city engineer. Travis, Ivan Hooper is transportation engineer. We have a planning commission alternate as Craig Kitterman back with us tonight. And I Isha's planning secretary with us tonight. Thank you. Okay, great. We have uh one item uh for public hearing, and we have three items for uh public meeting items. We'll just take them in the order that they're listed on the agenda. We'll first hear from staff who will introduce the topic. Uh we will then hear from the applicant who will talk about the project or give us any updates. We'll then hear any findings from staff. We'll then open it up to uh the public to make any comments they want. We ask you to limit your comments to two minutes. Um we'll go ahead then and take the first item empowering you rezone. Uh 11339 South 700 East. I've got that, Chair. Cool. Uh so for the public, my name's Jake Warner, long-range planning manager for the city. Um we are presenting an application uh received from Winslow Burton on behalf of Empowering You for a rezone at 11339 South 700 East. Uh there is an existing building there. Um it is currently in the CVC zone, which is the convenience commercial zone. The application is requesting that the property be rezoned to the PO zone. Um the uh property to the south is also zoned CVC. The surrounding the rest of the surrounding property is residential. Uh the applicant would like to lease a portion of the building for an adult daycare program. Uh, that use is not allowed in the CVC zone but would be allowed in the PO zone. So this is a legislative item. It's being presented to the planning commission for recommendation to the city council. The city council would be the final decision maker. Uh, with that, staff is available for questions, and the uh applicant has a presentation as well. Okay, very good. Um questions for staff. I don't see any.
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